Daylight and darkness: Images of Christians in mixed marriages

Marriage between Christians and non-Christians has generally been regarded with suspicion by the churches, and has at times been severely punished. However, mixed marriage has also sometimes been seen as a means by which the non-Christian partner may be drawn into the faith. In this article I review some of the underlying reasons for these attitudes and the theological concepts of marriage which informed those responsible for its regulation. I focus particularly on the issues and images surrounding religious intermarriage in the early Church and during the medieval period, with special reference to legends and literature.     

The minister as healer,the healer as minister

A major task of the minister is that of healer, and with the healing task come some special opportunities. These relate to the therapy of the word, awakening in all the tragic sense of life, an identity with the wounded healer, distinguishing between healing and curing, and accepting the medical education enterprise as a patient. The healer as minister broadens the healing community into a priesthood of all believers. Further, our rich heritage of healing is anchored in the biblical tradition, and a study of this will show a similarity between ancient and modern healing.This article is based on a paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Ministers in Medical Education of the Society for Health and Human Values, Washington, D.C., October 23–26, 1980.